Ulquiorra's Legacy
by AnonymousArrancar
Summary: The Winter War is over and all the arrancars are gone, including the father to Orihime's daughter: Ulquiorra. Ichigo and Rukia get married and have a boy named Kaien. About 13 years later, Orihime's daughter wants to know the truth ... full summary inside
1. Of Sundaes and Questions

**This is my first story, so I'm still trying to find my writing style. Please R&R!**

**Summary: The Winter War is over and all the arrancars are gone, including the father to Orihime's daughter: Ulquiorra. Ichigo and Rukia get married and have a boy named Kaien. About 13 years later Orihime's daughter, Akira, wants to know the truth about her father. But when Ichigo goes missing, they are all recruited in the mission to find him. Along the way, Akira and Kaien uncover their powers and become the targets of a mysterious new enemy. **

**Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach**

* * *

Not too long after the battle with Aizen was over, Orihime learned that she was pregnant. She was sure that Ulquiorra was the father, he was her first and only. But she didn't know how to tell her friends about it, when they would surely call her a traitor. She had already lost her friends once and didn't want to lose them again. For the first few months of her pregnancy she managed to conceal her growing stomach. She felt horrible for lying to her friends, but it was the only thing she could think of to do. Soon, she started making excuses so that they wouldn't witness the last months of her pregnancy. The only problem was that Rukia had noticed her strange behavior. Rukia had cornered Orihime with questions, pleadingly asking what was wrong. Orihime cracked, and finally told her everything. Afterwards her heart felt lighter and less burdened, but immediately felt horrible again when she saw Rukia looking sad and disappointed. She asked Orihime why she hadn't said anything sooner, and she replied by revealing her fears to Rukia. After a long talk and clearing up some details, Rukia told Orihime that she didn't understand the love she had for Ulquiorra, but wasn't mad.

Glad to have someone by her side, Orihime gave birth to a beautiful baby girl named Akira. Her skin was pale, her eyes were green, and the wisps of hair on her head were black. Orihime was happy that the baby was practically a carbon copy of the fourth espada. Now she didn't have to worry about never seeing him again.

Of course, she couldn't hide Akira from her other friends for long. When they discovered who the father was, they were shocked. Chad and Uryuu soon came to terms with it, though they didn't like it that much. Ichigo was furious, so much so that he refused to see Orihime. It broke her heart that her best friend couldn't even face her. It took months of convincing from Chad, Uryuu, and Rukia before Ichigo agreed to see how Orihime was doing. Orihime begged Ichigo to forgive her, and said that she didn't want to lose him after everything they'd been through together. He refused to forgive her, but only for the reason that she didn't need to apologize. Instead, Ichigo asked for Orihime's forgiveness, for not supporting her when she needed him. Since then, Orihime lived peacefully with her daughter. Her friends frequently came by to visit her and help her, if she needed it.

After a few months, Ichigo and Rukia married and started a family of their own. They had a son and named him Kaien after Rukia's former Lieutenant. He had an uncanny likeness to Ichigo, having the same strange orange hair and attitude that comes with it. Ichigo and Rukia moved in the same neighborhood as Orihime's and visited her often for years. They usually brought Kaien with them to Orihime's house, so that he could play with Akira. They soon realized that Akira had inherited more than just her father's looks. She had also inherited a large portion of his personality. She was mostly quiet and thought things through with logic. It was as if Ulquiorra Cifer had been reincarnated.

Orihime was overjoyed. But her friends weren't sure how they felt about it, namely, Ichigo. If Akira had inherited this much from her father, what else did she inherit?

* * *

Akira Inoue walked home from school with Kaien Kurosaki, deep in thought with her arms crossed. Tomorrow was Take Your Father to School Day, which seemed ridiculous to her. Kaien, on the other hand, couldn't be more excited. He babbled on and on about how great it would be to show off his father to everyone. Kaien's father, Mr. Kurosaki, was a well known doctor who ran his own clinic and usually went away on business trips. Thinking about it only frustrated Akira more. Why waste a day of learning by listening to a bunch of men talking about themselves? It was stupid.

"Hey, Akira! Are you even listening to me?"

She stopped and looked over to Kaien, who was frowning. "No."

"Well, fine. Then I guess I won't tell you what my dad's gonna bring."

"I don't care." Akira sighed. She continued walking, not bothering to look back to see if Kaien was following. Unfortunately, he did.

"Aw, c'mon! It's really, really cool!"

She stared straight ahead, spotting an ice cream store coming up. Her clever mind quickly thought of a way to get Kaien to stop broaching on the subject. She factored in the possibility that if Kaien ate ice cream, then his appetite for dinner would be spoiled. When he started talking about the difference between a doctor and a nurse, she decided to risk it. "Kaien, would you like some ice cream?" She asked innocently, glancing over her shoulder.

His eyes lit up with excitement and he nodded, his head bobbing up and down like a bobble head. "Yeah!"

Kaien listed the possible flavors he would get aloud as they approached the store, which was better than him talking about his plans for tomorrow. Akira opened the door to the ice cream shop, a little bell ringing to announce their arrival. There were a few people standing in line.

"Strawberry. No, wait, Chocolate. Oh, they've got sundaes! What are you going to get, Akira?"

"I don't like ice cream." Akira had never liked anything sweet, much to the dismay of her mother. She preferred eating simple and healthy meals. This explained why she was slimmer than most thirteen year olds and the envy of every girl in her class.

They moved up in line, and when it was their turn to order, Kaien was torn between having a sundae and trying a new shrimp-flavored ice cream. After receiving an idle threat from Akira for taking too long, he settled on the sundae. They left the store and continued the path to their house. It was silent, since Kaien was too busy devouring his treat. Akira stared at Kaien as they walked, semi-disgusted and semi-amused by the sight of him. She briefly wondered how he could be so easily distracted, and then returned her gaze to the street in front of them. She noticed the sky slowly growing a darker shade of orange, concluding that they would get home late.

"Akira."

Kaien sounded so somber that she immediately looked over at him. The first thing she noted was that he had already finished his sundae, faster than she had anticipated. The second was that his expression was one a person would give to a dying dog. It took her a moment to recognize; it was pity. Upon seeing this, Akira felt anger rise in her chest. She stopped walking.

"Are you sad about . . ." he hesitated. "About not having a father?"

"Why?" Akira's eyes hardened. "Should I be? I've lived this long without a father. They are unnecessary."

"What about your mother? Doesn't she miss him sometimes?"

"You would have to ask my mother." Akira hadn't expected this from Kaien. For as long as she could remember, he was always simple-minded and rarely thought things through, unlike her. But the way he spoke about this sounded like he'd been thinking about it for a while now. She didn't like it. "I will not continue to answer these questions."

Kaien sighed and nodded. "I get it if you don't want to talk about it. I can't imagine a life without my dad." With nothing more to say, he walked on.

Akira stood there for a moment. Oddly, Kaien's words had stuck with her. She couldn't shake the feeling that he was somewhat right.

She was brought out of her thoughts by an uncomfortable feeling. It felt like a strong presence was nearby. She'd been having these feelings since she was four, and it had been steadily growing since. Akira noticed that these feelings were especially strong coming from her mother, Mr. and Mrs. Kurosaki, and even Kaien. She once tried to ask her mother about it, but couldn't find her that day. Instead, she came home to a babysitter she'd only seen on one occasion several years before, a man in a green-striped hat and wooden clogs, whose name was Urahara. Coincidentally, it was the same day Mr. Kurosaki left on one of his business trips.

She searched the area, seeing no one else on the street but her and Kaien. Suddenly, it vanished, as if it had never been there. Still unsure of what it was Akira swiftly caught up with Kaien. They walked back home together, not speaking a word. When they arrived at Akira's house, her mother and Kaien's mother were waiting for them.

"Kaien!" Mrs. Kurosaki yelled.

"Akira!" Her mother called.

The two sighed simultaneously, each going to their respective parent.

Kaien's mother had her arms crossed. "Why are you late?" She questioned him in a reprimanding tone.

"I apologize, Mrs. Kurosaki. We stopped for ice cream."

"Ice cream! Kaien, don't tell me you had a sundae."

"Sorry, mom."

As Rukia scolded her child, Orihime watched Akira silently. It was amazing how much she took after her father, even if she didn't realize it. Orihime gazed at Akira, whose expression was cool and impassive. She answered calmly whenever Rukia questioned her, and actually seemed to expect it. Why was that? And what did she say about ice cream? Akira never liked sweets, so she guessed that her daughter didn't have any. But . . . Akira seemed a little different from normal. Her features appeared to be forced, like she was trying to hide what she was really feeling. During what little time she spent with Ulquiorra, and years with her daughter, Orihime learned to read the smallest gestures. Based on how tense her daughter looked, she would say she was upset. "Akira," Orihime said again. Her daughter glanced up. "It's time to go inside." Akira nodded, listening to her mother at once.

After Akira disappeared into the house, Orihime placed a hand on Rukia's shoulder. "I'm sorry about this," she apologized. "Let me make it up to you. Come inside until Ichigo comes back."

Hearing his father's name, Kaien spoke up. "Where _is_ dad?"

Rukia hesitated. "He's . . . visiting a patient. Now, go inside."

"Oh, okay." He ran inside.

After a few moments of silence, Orihime spoke up. "They're growing up too fast. Akira's been suspicious since she was six. When should we tell them?" She didn't like lying to, or not telling, her daughter the truth about her past. Neither did Rukia, but they decided it would be best if they grew up without worrying about being half-hollow.

"I don't know," Rukia sighed, staring at where Kaien had run off. "I agree that they are getting old. Maybe we should tell them when Ichigo comes back."

Orihime nodded. "Alright. Let's go inside." Once inside, Orihime offered to make tea and went into the kitchen. Rukia was sitting at the table, waiting for Orihime, when Kaien came down the stairs. He didn't even look her as he passed and lied on the ground near the table with his back to her.

Rukia glanced from the stairs to her son. "Kaien, why don't you do something with Akira?"

He sighed and looked over his shoulder. "She won't let me in her room. I've been trying for a few minutes, but all she said was 'Go away.'" He paused. "I think it's my fault."

"Why would you say that?" Rukia frowned.

At that moment, Orihime walked in with a teapot and teacups on a tray and set it on the table. She held her hands behind her back and smiled at Kaien. "Go on. Why is it your fault?"

He fidgeted. "Well I . . . kind of asked her if she was sad about not having a father."

"Kaien!" Rukia's frown deepened. "You should know better."

"I didn't think I'd upset her," he replied quietly, looking away. "At the most, I expected her to be angry with me. I'm sorry, Miss Inoue."

"It's alright," Orihime said. She now understood why Akira seemed troubled before. She noticed Kaien's worried expression and smiled reassuringly. "Don't worry Kaien. I'll go talk with Akira." He nodded, apologizing again before she went upstairs.

Rukia crossed her arms, staring at her son until he looked up. He slowly sat up in a cross-legged position and scooted closer to the table.

"Did Miss Inoue bring out any cake?"

* * *

Orihime Inoue's house hadn't changed much over the years. The only major change was adding Akira's room, which had been Sora's old room. The walls were a simple white color, bare of any posters, pictures, or drawings any regular girl might have wanted to tape up. Akira, as mentioned before, preferred simple things. Even her furniture had a color palette of plain white, black, or beige. The only decoration that implied it wasn't a guest room was a single picture of her mother on her desk. She also kept her room in impeccable condition; things were never out of place.

Akira stood in front of her window, watching the sky grow dark. The moon was out already, as well as some stars. She stared at the sky and tried not to think about the next day _or_ what Kaien said earlier. She cast those thoughts from her mind, and settled for finding constellations.

There was the Big Dipper and the Little Dipper.

There was Orion.

Taurus.

Gemini.

Auriga.

Draco.

She soon ran out of constellations to identify and turned her gaze to the moon. It was bright and full tonight. Akira heard a soft knock on her door and her mother asking to come in. She replied with a polite, "Enter."

Her mother stepped inside and closed the door behind her. "Why is it so dark in here?" She squinted.

"I feel more comfortable." Akira answered, and then paused. "Mrs. Kurosaki and Kaien are still here." She was almost certain she felt their presence close by.

"How did you know?" Instead of seeming surprised, her mother was curious. Strange.

Akira chose not to answer, and instead turned back to look at the moon. She wasn't sure if she should tell her mother about the feelings she'd been having. Akira knew she was strange enough with the way she acted. Would her mother understand?

"It was nice of you to get Kaien ice cream, but you must have known that it would ruin his dinner."

"Yes." Akira said. "I did."

Orihime sighed. It looked like she was going to have to do most of the talking. "Why?" She walked up next to her daughter, also staring up at the moon. The last time she had done this was in Hueco Mundo.

Seeing no escape, Akira resigned to telling her mother. "Kaien was irritating me. He kept talking about what he and Mr. Kurosaki could do tomorrow, and then I saw the ice cream shop." It was straightforward and concise. However, Orihime was far from finished.

"Isn't tomorrow Take Your Father to School Day?"

Akira chose not to answer, but it was enough for Orihime to understand. She placed a hand on her shoulder, sadly looking down at her daughter. "You can tell me how you feel about it, Akira. It's okay to open up. Sometimes it's better to tell someone, instead of keeping everything bottled up inside." Orihime waited for a few moments, trying to see a change in her daughter's expression. There, her eyebrows came together slightly. She was frowning.

Akira's usually logical mind was consistently coming up with possible responses to get out of this situation, but her heart wouldn't allow it. Looking at her mother, she knew she wouldn't always be able to run away from it. The truth was . . . she hated her father. He was the reason her mother worked so hard to try and keep the both of them happy. He was the reason her mother sometimes woke from horrible nightmares. And yet, Akira was also curious about him. The only thing she'd ever heard was her mother's description of him, which wasn't that much itself. She knew that her mother's friends knew something about him, but whenever Akira was close on the subject, they got uncomfortable and wouldn't talk any more about it. How many nights did she spend lying in bed wide awake, trying to figure out why no one would tell her about her father? If they refused to speak about him, perhaps it meant that it wasn't good. She glanced up at her mother and, doing something she rarely did, let her guard down.

Orihime's heart twisted at the pain and confusion in her daughter's beautiful emerald eyes. It was one of the few times Akira looked more like the young girl she was.

"Tell me about my father."


	2. Story Time

**Sorry for the **_**very **_**late update.**

**Thank you to those of you who reviewed! It's because of you guys I decided to continue this story. Seriously, I didn't (and still kinda don't) feel that confident about this story. I was thinking about either leaving it uncompleted or deleting it, but your kind reviews have changed my mind. Proof that reviews DO make a difference! I will finish this story to the best of my abilities, even if it's the last thing I do! **

**Warning: I should have probably put this is in the first chapter, but this story may contain *spoilers* for those of you who haven't gotten this far in the anime or manga. **

**Disclaimer: AnonymousArrancar does not own Bleach. But if she did, a certain green-eyed espada would have kicked a certain strawberry's ass…**

_**Last time:**__** Orihime's heart twisted at the pain and confusion in her daughter's beautiful emerald eyes. It was one of the few times Akira looked more like the young girl she was. "Tell me about my father."**_

* * *

Orihime's eyes widened as her daughter's words processed slowly in her mind. Akira had _never_ asked about her father, at least, never directly. After years of nearly all-encompassing silence on the topic of Ulquiorra Cifer, it was safe to say that Orihime was unprepared to give an answer. However, she was saved from giving a poorly thought out summary of the espada when she remembered her compromise with Rukia. _Wait until Ichigo comes back_.

She felt relieved for the delay but also saddened to make Akira wait, since she very rarely opened up. "Okay. But we're going to have to wait until Mr. Kurosaki returns from his trip. He and Mrs. Kurosaki can help me retell the story, and it's something Kaien should hear too."

"Alright," Akira nodded, her expression returning to its usual impassive mask.

Orihime walked to the door and opened it. Just as she was about to leave, she glanced over her shoulder and smiled. "Come on," Her mother gestured for her to join her. "Mr. Kurosaki shouldn't be too long. We can wait in the living room for him."

Akira was no fool; she immediately saw through what her mother was trying to do. She was trying to coax her out of her bedroom, to confront Kaien. And her mother most likely knew that she knew, judging by the uncharacteristically mischievous glint in her eyes. Akira knew that if she _didn't_ go, it would be perceived as a childish act. She straightened regally and strode purposefully out the door, intent on not behaving immaturely. After all, she was, according to some opinions, a teenager.

When they arrived in the living room, they were greeted with a strange sight.

Mrs. Kurosaki had apparently served herself a cup of tea, which she was quietly sipping with an annoyed frown contradicting her seemingly relaxed position. Beside her, sitting with his back to them, was Kaien… nursing what seemed to be a rather large and throbbing bump on his head and muttering something about "sweets", earning him a sharp word from his mother.

Rukia glanced up and smiled apologetically. "I hope you don't mind," she lifted her tea. "I poured myself a cup."

Orihime waved her hands. "No, no, it's alright!"

As her mother and Mrs. Kurosaki began conversing, Akira made her way over to Kaien. He was hunched over in a cross-legged position, presumably sulking from being punished for whatever he did. She swiftly sat down next to him and, after a few moments, saw him turn to her nervously. Kaien visibly cringed when he saw Akira's steady, emotionless gaze already on him.

With some difficulty, Kaien managed to mumble, "I'm sorry."

"For what?" Akira looked away, purposely staring in the direction of the front door for a few reasons.

"Well, for… you know."

She resisted the urge to roll her eyes. "I suppose."

"So you forgive me?" Kaien beamed.

Akira sighed and closed her eyes. She wasn't one to hold grudges, and Kaien wasn't really one to think his actions through, but something in her had snapped when he mentioned her father. The fact was, when Kaien asked her about her father, he had brought to the surface the ever-growing pool of hate she had for the man. Now, she couldn't seem to keep it at bay for a reason she couldn't understand. If there was one thing she had complete control over, it was her emotions… and Kaien had inadvertently been the cause for her loss of control.

For that, she didn't plan on letting him off easy. "I haven't decided."

Kaien groaned, "I guess that's a _no_."

* * *

After a while, Akira and Kaien joined their mothers for a cup of tea, for lack of anything better to do (Akira had outright refused to play a game with Kaien). An awkward silence rose as the four sporadically took sips of their tea. Rukia had taken to checking her cell phone when she wasn't glancing around, looking for something to do. Orihime had tried, multiple times, to strike up a conversation, but hadn't been successful thus far. Kaien continuously asked Akira if she wanted to do anything with him, pausing only to think of new ideas. Akira was the only one who seemed comfortable with the lapses of silence between them.

During one of these moments of silence, Orihime's grey eyes lit up like it was Christmas Day. "Oh!" She quickly got to her feet and skipped into the kitchen. When she returned, she was holding a bowl of red… _something_.

"Would anyone like some red bean paste with their tea?" She smiled brightly.

"No, thank you," Akira immediately responded.

"No thanks, Miss Inoue," Kaien laughed nervously.

By this time, all of Orihime's hope was directed at Rukia.

The black-haired woman smiled politely, eyeing the bowl Orihime was practically shoving in her face. "Thank you, Orihime, but I'm fine."

However, Orihime remained persistent. "Are you sure? Red bean paste goes great with anything!"

Rukia was saved from having to answer by a knock on the front door. "I'll get that, it might be Ichigo," Rukia quickly got to her feet and scurried of to the front door. A few seconds later she returned hand-in-hand with her orange-haired husband, smiling brightly.

"Dad!" Kaien called out, running up to wrap his arms around his father's legs in a firm hug. Ichigo chuckled, patting his son on the head while simultaneously pulling Rukia closer.

Akira watched the scene, an unknown feeling bubbling in her chest; her grip on the teacup tightening. She didn't like the how happy they were, seemingly oblivious to her and her mother's presence. She would not tolerate being ignored. "Hello, Mr. Kurosaki."

"Hi Ichigo!" Orihime also greeted him, though more cheerfully than her daughter, scooping red bean paste into her tea.

He replied with a wave and a lazy, "Hey."

The three settled down at the table and, after Ichigo was given a cup of tea, began their conversation.

"Ichigo, you read the text I sent you, right? About why we're all here?" Rukia asked.

Akira watched Ichigo closely, noting how his features darkened considerably as he nodded. "Yeah."

"What? What're we gonna talk about?" Kaien asked curiously.

"They are going to tell us about my father," Akira answered without delay, taking the last sip of her tea.

Kaien gaped at her. "You already knew? How come I'm the last one to know?"

"That doesn't matter Kaien," Rukia sighed. She glanced at Ichigo before continuing. "Kaien, Akira… Ichigo and I are Soul Reapers, or Shinigami, beings who control the flow of souls between the human world and the afterlife by sending them to a place called Soul Society."

There was a beat of silence, and then –

"Whoa! Is that really true? Does that means ghosts really do exist? Is Soul Society like heaven? Are you and dad like angels?"

Akira took in the information well, albeit a bit skeptically. She had a few questions she wanted to ask, but Kaien had yet to calm down from the news, which his parents were trying to do. So, Akira directed one of the more obvious questions at her mother. "Mrs. Kurosaki only included herself and Mr. Kurosaki. Am I right to assume that you aren't a Soul Reaper as well, Mother?"

This caught Kaien's attention. "Hey, yeah, that's right! Mom didn't say anything about Miss Inoue being a Soul Reaper."

Orihime shook her head, not at all surprised that Akira had quickly figured it out.

"No, Orihime is a human with extraordinary spiritual power," Rukia explained. "Her Shun Shun Rikka allows her to heal, defend, and attack."

Orihime nodded, her right hand rising to touch one of the blue, flower-shaped hair clips keeping her bangs from her face. "The manifestation of my spirit is the six fairies in my hair clips," she counted them off on her fingers. "Ayame, Lily, Shun-o, Baigon, Hinagiku, and Tsubaki!"

"Fairies?" Kaien snorted. He immediately added a compliment after receiving a death glare from both Akira and Rukia. "Anyway, are there any cools things you and dad can do, like Miss Inoue?" He tacked on the last part of his sentence while eyeing Akira.

"Well, all Soul Reapers carry a Zanpakuto with them. It's a sword that, like Orihime's hairpins, is the physical manifestation of a Soul Reaper's powers," Rukia replied. "We also use kido, or magic spells, and have the ability to sense another person's spiritual pressure. Although, your father isn't very good at that."

"Hey!" Ichigo protested as Kaien laughed and Orihime giggled. "Give me some credit, would'ya?"

Rukia smirked. "You're right… You are absolutely _terrible_ at sensing spiritual pressure. How's that?"

Ichigo crossed his arms and grumbled to himself.

"So what can a Zanpakuto do, Mom?" Kaien asked after his fit of giggles ceased.

"Shinigami use their Zanpakuto to perform their duties," Rukia paused to pull out what looked to be a sketch pad.

"You still have that?" Ichigo asked in surprise.

Rukia ignored him, opening it to the first page. The left half had a cartoon drawing of sinister-looking animal (Kaien and Akira were having trouble identifying it), surrounded by darkness and yellow lightening. On the right half was a cartoon drawing of what seemed to be a rabbit, surrounded by hearts.

"Still as crappy as I remember," Ichigo muttered with a grin.

"What was that?" Rukia demanded, leaning toward Ichigo with a black marker.

"Nothing."

She glared at him before continuing. "There are two types of spirits in this world." She pointed to the right-side cartoon, saying, "The first kind are "wholes", the normal ghosts you see." Next, she pointed to the left-side cartoon. "The second kind are "hollows", evil spirits that attack people, living or dead, to devour their souls.

"It is a Shinigami's duty to perform a konso, or soul burial, by tapping a soul on the head with the hilt of our sword. Those who led a good life are sent to Soul Society, while those who led a life of evil are sent to Hell. For hollows, we cleanse them of the sins they committed as a hollow and can be sent to either Soul Society or Hell, it still depends on the life the person led when they were alive."

"Mrs. Kurosaki," Akira called. Once she had the woman's attention, she continued. "Are Shinigami 'souls' themselves?"

Rukia smiled, already seeing where this was going. "Yes, we are. Before you ask, the reason you can see Ichigo and I are for several reasons. For one, I am in a gigai, an artificial body that allows a Shinigami to interact with humans. A friend of mine, a man named Urahara, made this gigai for me."

Akira vaguely recalled Urahara, the man who wore a green-striped hat and clogs, wondering how many more people were included in this secret her mother and her friends had kept. And what about her father? Was he also a Shinigami?

"As for your father, Kaien, he was born a human and later gained Shinigami powers. Technically, he is a Substitute Soul Reaper. And even if I wasn't in a gigai, or Ichigo wasn't in his human body, I'm certain both of you would still be able to see us. You have high spiritual pressure, even if you don't realize it."

"Cool! How did dad get Shinigami powers? Could I get them too?" Kaien was very nearly about to burst in his excitement.

"We'll talk about that later, Kaien," Rukia promised. "Now that you have a basic idea of what a Soul Reaper is, we must move on." She paused briefly, carefully thinking about how she would word the story. She couldn't avoid _not_ telling them about their hollow side, since it wasn't exactly the same between Kaien and Akira. Kaien was born from a Shinigami and a human-turned hollow. She wasn't certain if he had inherited anything from Ichigo, but it was better to be safe than sorry. Akira, on the other hand… she was born from a human and a _hollow_. It was even more dangerous for Akira to be unaware of that fact; who knows what could have been passed down to her?

"Many years ago, before the both of you were born, there was a great war. A Shinigami named Aizen Sosuke betrayed Soul Society and left for Hueco Mundo, along with Gin Ichimaru and Tosen Kaname." Rukia could see the question in Kaien's eyes (Akira's were void of anything, as per usual), and decided to address it before he would ask. "Hueco Mundo is the dimension where hollows reside.

"He gathered Arrancar, hollows who removed their masks to gain Shinigami-like powers. Aizen's top ten most powerful Arrancar were called Espada," Rukia paused glancing over to Orihime. Akira didn't miss the sad gaze they shared. "During that time, Akira, Aizen was interested in your mother's abilities. So, he sent one of his Espada to take her. His name was –"

"Ulquiorra Cifer." Orihime finished, fisting a hand above her heart. She looked on the verge of tears.

Akira stared at her mother, who had uttered a name that sent a shiver down her spine. There was no doubt in her mind; she now knew her father's name… and what he was. What _she_ was.

Rukia continued with the story with some help from Ichigo and a soft-voiced Orihime, providing details for events one or the other was present for. Akira listened intently, not daring to ask a question lest she interrupt something important. She listened to Mr. and Mrs. Kurosaki's battles, each remembering in great detail how everything had gone down. There were a few close calls for them, to which Kaien's admiration for his parents grew. It wasn't until near the end that proved to be problematic.

It had come to the point where Mr. Kurosaki had confronted Akira's father.

"… Dad, you fought with Akira's dad?" It was the first time in the entire conversation that Kaien hadn't sounded excited. In fact, when Akira looked over to him, his expression was one of sadness.

Ichigo's eyes shadowed over with a look the two had never seen before, one the Rukia had seen only once. He looked away, his features unreadable as he stared at his untouched tea. It was unspoken, but Akira knew. Something must have conspired between her father and the man sitting across from her, though she couldn't be sure of what. She was aware that her father had died during the war, so could Mr. Kurosaki have been the one to deliver the final blow?

Akira's emerald eyes shifted to Mrs. Kurosaki. She stared at Ichigo with a faraway expression, one that did not help to deny Akira's suspicions about Mr. Kurosaki. But it only took a glance from her mother to confirm what she had deduced. Her mother deliberately looked away from Mr. Kurosaki, firmly keeping her watery, grey eyes downcast. She rarely ever saw her jovial mother appear so broken, aside from the nights she would wake from nightmares of the past. Akira glanced between the three adults, quickly concluding that this part of the story was one that they had no more to say on.

She sighed. "Could someone tell me what my father looked like? I'll I've heard today were about his actions."

Glad for the change, Orihime spoke up. "Well, he had messy black hair, beautiful green eyes, pale skin, he didn't say much, he was always frowning…"

"Mother," Akira's eyes were wide, as well as Kaien's. "You just described me."

Orihime smiled at her daughter lovingly. "Mm-hm. Except for the teal lines running down from his eyes, the broken helmet covering half his head, and the hollow hole in his throat, you look exactly like your father, Akira."

* * *

After an hour or so, Rukia decided it would be best for them to go home and continue telling stories of their past another day. After all, Kaien and Akira did have school the next day. As soon as goodbyes were said and they left for their house, Akira went straight to her room without a word to Orihime.

Orihime didn't think anything of it; it wasn't something out of the ordinary for Akira to do. And even if it was unusual, it was justified after everything she had learned about her father and herself. To be told that you aren't completely human isn't something that can be instantly accepted. Akira just needed time to let the information sink in, right?

As Orihime washed the teacups, she thought about going to see Akira. It wasn't that late – she glanced at the clock – only nine forty-five, her daughter usually liked to stay up. But what if Akira was exhausted from stress and decided to go to sleep? What if she was already asleep, dreaming about robots taking over the world… She shook her head, wiping her hands dry with a dishrag. No, that was something she had dreamt of yesterday.

She crossed her arms as she walked toward Akira's room, still deliberating on whether or not to check on her. Orihime stood in front of Akira's door, shifting from foot to foot. She was her mother, so she had the right to just go in, right? But Akira deserved her privacy… Orihime finally settled on knocking, waiting for a response akin to, "_Enter_". When none came, Orihime began to worry.

She twisted the knob and pulled the door open, puzzled that it wasn't locked, wondering whether or not Akira heard her knocking. Orihime poked her head inside, glancing around the dark room. She spotted Akira standing in front of her dresser, staring at her reflection in a mirror that hung on the wall. Orihime stepped fully inside, quietly closing the door behind her as she observed her daughter.

Akira didn't seem to notice her entry, judging by the intensity with which she stared at herself. Her left hand hesitantly rose to run her fingers through the left side of her head, bringing tears to Orihime's eyes. She never told Akira which side Ulquiorra's helmet was on. Next, she brought both her index fingers up to her face, slowly trailing a line from her eye down to her jaw line on both sides. Finally, she gingerly touched the base of her throat.

"There should be a hole here," Akira's voice rang in the silence.

Orihime gasped in surprise. How long had Akira known she was there? What was she saying about a hole?

Before she could voice either of her questions, Akira turned around. Her hand remained on her throat, and her expression was one of distress. "There should be a hole here," she repeated. Her eyes looked as if they were glassy.

"Why?" Orihime asked, approaching her daughter. She knelt down in front of her, looking up into those nostalgic green eyes. She felt as though her heart were about to burst when she realized Akira was on the verge of _crying_. What was happening to her daughter? "Tell me why, Akira."

Akira's eyebrows pulled together in concentration. "I… I thought I hated… _him_. I was sure that I was completely justified to hate h – my father," Her green gaze bore into Orihime, as if they could see her soul. "Now, I'm not sure. I'm confused. The hate I held for Father dissipated the moment I learned that he was killed. Was he even aware of my existence before his death? Did he know, Mother?"

She shook her head. "No," Orihime gripped Akira's shoulders. "He didn't know. No one knew."

At that moment, a stream of tears silently flowed down either side of Akira's cheeks, trailing down her neck and into her clothes. "I feel hollow," Akira whispered, staring at her mother with frightened eyes. "Is that right? Am I supposed to feel hollow?"

Orihime felt her own tears spill over, and the only thing she could do was pull Akira into a hug. Akira buried her face into her mother's neck, bringing her arms up to return the embrace. Orihime felt her daughter's tears soaking her shirt, but not a single sound escaped the young girl; she wasn't even trembling. Orihime closed her eyes, stroking the back of her daughter's hair soothingly. "It's okay," she repeated over and over like a sacred mantra. "It's okay to cry."

She wasn't sure how long they remained that way but, eventually, Akira pulled away. The only evidence that Akira had been crying were the tear stains on either side of her cheeks, perfectly replicating Ulquiorra's own teal lines.

"I apologize," Akira said quietly, unable to look at her mother.

"No," Orihime said firmly. She gently turned Akira's head so that they were face-to-face. "Never apologize for showing your feelings. Remember what I said earlier? It's okay to open up." Orihime took hold of Akira's hand, which hung limply at her side. "Would you like to spend the night with me?"

Perhaps it was her eyes playing tricks, but if Orihime squinted, she could barely make out a faint blush. "Mother, I'm thirteen. That last time I've –"

"It doesn't matter how old you are," Orihime interrupted softly, running her fingers through Akira's silky hair. So much like her father. "When someone needs comfort, it doesn't matter how old you are."

Akira remained silent for a few seconds before nodding once. So, mother and daughter both ran through their nightly routine and climbed into the same bed. Orihime held Akira close, stroking her hair until she was sure her daughter had fallen asleep. Only then did Orihime allow sleep to take her.

That night, she was haunted by two pairs of emerald eyes.

* * *

**Whoa-oh, we've got some angst at the end. Well, this chapter was mostly filler (or it seemed like it to me). Yeah, yeah, it must have been boring to read through stuff you already know, but it was kind of necessary. And did anyone see the reference to episode one? Next chapter will be Take Your Father to School Day! Any shenanigans you want Kaien to do? Feel free to tell me, if it fits I could put it in.**

**Pretty please review? **


	3. Forgiveness?

**-Insert Ginormous Apology Here-**

**Really, I have no excuse for why I haven't updated. But, I would like to say thank you for all the alerts and favorites! I'm so glad you all enjoy it!**

**Okay, so, I'm not one to use Japanese words, but "onna" sounds so much better coming from Ulquiorra than "woman". Also, things are moving pretty slowly right now, but it's necessary. Hopefully, this story will pick up speed in a few chapters! Other than that, enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: Nope. Not a chance of owning Bleach, so don't sue me.**

* * *

_~Orihime's dream~_

An angel of darkness.

His magnificent black wings contrasted greatly against the stark whiteness of his flawless, marble-like skin. It didn't matter that he wasn't human, or that he was one of the Espada. What mattered were these last moments, the only moments they would ever have together.

Orihime had felt her heart break in two as she watched Ichigo and Ulquiorra fight. She didn't want to see either of them to die, she loved them both. Even though Ichigo, her first love, was nothing more than a close friend, she still cared deeply for him. And Ulquiorra, her true love. She had given everything to him, even her heart. At that time, he hadn't accepted it, still unable to understand the concept of unseen connections between people, bound by emotions like love. He had claimed that if he "couldn't see it with his own eyes then it didn't exist", which completely contradicted the feelings they had for each other. Although Ulquiorra's feelings weren't exactly love, it was still something strong. A bond.

She had understood that he wouldn't comprehend it, not immediately, and she had wanted to change that. Every minute she spent with him, when he brought her meals or news of her friends, had been a minute closer for Orihime to get him to see it… to see with his heart instead of his eyes. And no matter how much he had denied having a heart, Orihime believed he did. She still believed so.

So when Ulquiorra had asked Ichigo to kill him, she had felt her heart beginning to descend into an abyss of agony. _Why?_ she couldn't speak, but the word kept repeating itself in her mind. _Why, why, why, why…_

Of course, Ichigo had refused. That was one thing Orihime was thankful for. If he had finished off Ulquiorra, she would have never forgiven him.

Ulquiorra had turned his head to her then, his beautiful black wings slowly disintegrating into dust. It was difficult to watch, especially when he had lifted his arm to reach for her. Everything else around her faded to black as she completely focused on Ulquiorra, a fisted hand above her heart.

"Are you afraid, onna?"

It was the same question he had asked her once before, so she came back with the same, true response. "No. I'm not afraid." His outstretched arm remained reaching for her, but she couldn't move. Her heart felt too heavy, like it was anchoring her to the spot she stood on.

"I see."

The dust now claimed all of his wings, moving more rapidly than before. It was then that Orihime decided to move; she didn't want him to disappear just yet. She reached out for him, wanting to touch him for one last time.

But she was too late.

His hand turned to dust in hers, causing her heart to leap in panic. _No, no! It's not fair! _A small sob escaped her throat as she tried again, but it was futile. The dust had moved up his arm, taking the rest of his body. She gazed into his eyes, into the deep, emotionless green pools she had come to find comfort in. In his last seconds, before the dust could completely take him, his eyes suddenly changed, his stare holding some kind of warmth.

_I entrust you with my heart._

And then he was gone, his ashes blowing away from her.

Even though she had seen it, witnessed it with her own eyes, she refused to believe it. He couldn't be gone. While Ulquiorra saw things with his eyes, she saw the world with her heart. And her heart simply refused to accept it.

Unexpectedly, her still outstretched hand tingled with warmth, the place where Ulquiorra's hand had been. _What is this?_ The warmth pulsed through her body, pooling in her stomach.

_I entrust you with my heart._

Orihime smiled to herself, understanding. She was sure now that the warmth she had seen in Ulquiorra's eyes was _his_ understanding. He had finally understood what the heart was.

Suddenly, everything blurred away, and Orihime wasn't on top of Las Noches anymore.

She had a swelling stomach, so large that she couldn't even see her own feet. She smiled as she caressed the sides of it, pondering what to name the child. "I wonder if it will be a boy," she mused to herself.

"I thought you would have been hoping for a girl," a familiar voice laughed.

Orihime turned to face the only one who knew of her pregnancy, smiling warmly. "A boy or a girl would both be perfect, Rukia. As long as I have some part of him with me."

The black-haired Shinigami sighed. "I still don't understand it, but I guess you can't deny your heart, can you?"

And then, quite frighteningly, everything shattered into a million colorful pieces, like shards of multicolored glass… leaving Orihime in total darkness. Orihime gasped, looking around for her friend. "Rukia?" her voice echoed in the dark void. She hugged herself, trying to find comfort in her swollen belly. But her eyes widened when her arms wrapped around her flat stomach. She looked down in disbelief, pawing at it. Where was her baby?

"Mother."

Orihime whirled around, facing a young, black-haired girl with pale, white skin. Essentially, she was an exact copy of Ulquiorra.

She immediately recognized the girl as her daughter, and recalled her name. "Akira!" Orihime ran toward her daughter, an arm stretched out. But something was wrong. No matter how fast she ran, she wasn't getting any closer to Akira. It was as if she were running in place.

"Mother, I'm scared," Akira's voice was steady, but her eyes betrayed her true feelings. Black tears flowed down her cheeks in a steady line, staining them.

"Akira!" Orihime sobbed. She needed to do something, anything!

"Are you scared too?" Akira asked.

Orihime watched as Akira grew exponentially, her child-like features hardening into that of an adult. Simultaneously, half a helmet pieced itself together on the left side of her head and a hollow hole carved itself into her neck. When it was all done, Akira was gone and Ulquiorra stood in her place.

She slowed to a halt, her heart thudding in her chest like a hummingbird trying to escape from a cage.

"Ulquiorra?"

His emerald gaze bored into her. "Are you afraid, onna?"

Orihime gasped at hearing his voice, something she had been long deprived of. "No," she breathed, unaware that she had been holding her breath.

He nodded curtly, and then his helmet burst into dust.

"No!" Orihime cried out, running once again. It was a wasted effort, as she didn't gain any ground. "Ulquiorra!" _Not again!_

He took his hand out of his pocket, outstretching his hand toward her. In that moment, the invisible barrier holding her back allowed her to pass. She frantically ran toward him, racing against the dust.

Four steps more.

Three.

Two.

One foot away, and the dust claimed his hand. Her hand stirred up the dust as her hand passed through air, once again failing to touch him. His green eyes lost their detached touch as he spoke once more.

"I've entrusted my heart to you."

* * *

Orihime gasped, jolting up from bed as the remnants of her nightmare began to fade.

"Mother, are you alright?"

Orihime turned slightly to look Akira, who seemed to be worried. She could tell by the way her eyebrows came together, just barely.

She smiled, finally succeeding in slowing her breath. "I'm fine." She glanced at the clock. "Oh! You're going to be late for school!" Orihime slipped out of bed and hurriedly made her way to the closet. After a moment she poked her head out. "Aren't you going to get ready?"

Akira sighed, sliding out of bed and getting to her feet. "I suppose I should."

As Akira reached her room and grabbed her school uniform, Orihime knocked and opened the door slightly. "Would you like something to eat, Akira? I can make something quickly for you!"

"…Yes, thank you."

Orihime felt her heart skip a beat. Akira always declined her offer for food, preferring to prepare herself the boring food that most people liked. However, that never discouraged her from asking every morning (what kind of mother would she be if she didn't offer her child some homemade food?). But instead of politely declining and taking fruit to school, like she usually did, this time Akira accepted it. Why the sudden change?

Orihime shrugged, a wide smile spreading across her face. "Okay!" She happily skipped to the kitchen, humming to herself as she began pulling out (un)necessary ingredients from the fridge. Maybe Akira was finally getting around to liking her cooking! The only other person who did was Rangiku…

Akira dressed herself in the standard blue school uniform that all students were required to wear. She felt something strange stir in her heart as she listened to her mother humming off-key in the kitchen.

She knew that her mother had had a nightmare about her father. She also knew that her mother wasn't as "fine" as she claimed to be. So when her mother asked, like she usually did, if she wanted breakfast, Akira internally shuddered once before hesitantly accepting it.

And now, hearing how happy her mother sounded, it might be worth having indigestion.

* * *

Akira's stomach grumbled noisily as she walked down the street, headed for school.

She sighed, patting her belly lightly in a weak attempt to try and sooth the internal pain that burned the inside of her stomach. Apparently, her mother decided that a wasabi and banana omelet with a bean-paste fruit smoothie would give her enough energy to last the day. It had the opposite affect: Not being accustomed to her mother's eccentric cooking, her body immediately rejected the foreign-flavored food as it grudgingly passed down her throat. Nonetheless, she finished everything her mother had scrapped together (Oh, the things she would do for her mother). She had been successful thus far in keeping the contents of her stomach down, but she was quickly losing the feeble battle.

Perhaps she should have taken some pills to alleviate the uneasiness swirling around…

"He-y, A-kira!" a voice sang from behind, accompanied by the sound of shoes pounding against concrete.

She didn't bother turning around. She was in no mood to deal with _him_ anyway.

Kaien came to a stop next to her, breathing heavily. "Hey! Why didn't you wait for me this morning? I've got so many things to tell you!"

Akira tried to block out Kaien's voice, quite a feat due to her now-growing headache. He chattered on and on about Soul Reapers and Soul Society, relaying the details his mother had told him after they left. He gave her a brief description of Soul Society's layout, including the Rukongai and the Seireitei. After a few minutes of describing the Shinigamis and their levels of power, she quickly realized that she was actually interested in what he was saying.

"So, I have an uncle!" Kaien nearly squealed. "Cool, huh? I didn't even know! But I wonder why he never came to visit…" His delighted expression suddenly turned into a frown.

"Didn't you say he was a captain?"Akira asked, referring to what Kaien had told her earlier. "It must not be easy to leave your duties as a captain in Soul Society merely to visit your nephew in the human realm."

Kaien simply nodded through her explanation, and then continued on as if he hadn't heard it. "I bet he's really, really strong! And has a cool sword! Oh, and I bet he and my dad are best friends! I bet…"

His voice faded to the back of her mind as she ignored him. She supposed she was happy for Kaien, or as happy as she could be. There was still something about this that bothered her. She could feel that something was off.

Akira pushed those thoughts away as they approached school, Kaien still unaware that she had completely shut him out again. She decided that it was more productive to focus on preparing herself for the day ahead instead of lingering on mysterious feelings.

But after they arrived at the classroom, Akira realized just how difficult that would prove to be. Kaien immediately ran to his father, who was in a white coat to signify his occupation.

Akira, on the other hand, stood on the threshold of the classroom, tugging on the edges of the skirt of her blue school uniform. An indiscernible scowl made her normally impassive expression seem more menacing than usual. It wasn't that she was forced to, by school regulations, wear a skirt. She had already gotten accustomed to that, though not to the extent that she was comfortable with it. No, the source of her irritation was currently in the form of twenty-or-so adult men crowding around the back of the classroom.

Her cold gaze remained on the well-dressed men, who were either talking amongst each other or with their respective child. The majority of them seemed to be sneaking evaluating glances, trying to determine whether or not they had a better job than anyone else. As if it were a competition.

She was _not_ looking forward to this.

She stepped into the classroom, gingerly making her way to her seat. She set her books down, leaning against the school desktop to steady herself as her stomach lurched.

And even with a pounding headache forming, Akira could still sense a rather large presence behind her. Quickly sorting through information gathered from the conversation last night, her mind quickly supplied the words: spiritual pressure. And there was only one person she knew that had _that_ unique pressure.

"Mr. Kurosaki," she acknowledged him before turning around. She had an inkling of an idea of why he would want to talk to her, but she wasn't quite ready to confront that yet. Even more so while at school, where anyone could easily eavesdrop on what was, frankly, very personal and secret matters.

"Hey," he gave his usual greeting, not in the least sounding surprised at her correct identification. He opened his mouth to say something, but instead frowned as he took a closer look at her. "Are you feeling alright? You look kind of…pale." He felt ridiculous for not coming up with a better description, seeing as "pale" was her regular complexion. "Er, I mean, paler than usual."

Akira sighed and closed her eyes. "I'm fine, Mr. Kurosaki. It was only something I ate."

He seemed to understand immediately. "Right."

Akira made sure that she wasn't nauseous before slowly opening her eyes. "But I suspect that was not the reason you approached me."

He grinned sheepishly. "Yeah, actually." _So damn smart_. "I just… wanted to make sure…" he trailed off, not sure how to continue. He should really start planning things ahead, especially after all these years.

Akira stuffed her hands in her pockets, which were almost too small for her petite hands, watching Mr. Kurosaki as he struggled to find the right words. _Perhaps I should assist him._

The orange-haired Shinigami was currently scratching the back of his head, stumbling over his words. "It's just, your situation is different… and I… well, what I mean to say is –"

"Stop." Akira kept her voice calm as she reigned in her irritation. For some reason, it roused unknown feelings. She silently cursed Kaien for breaking the dam to her emotions. "Are you trying to ask if I harbor any ill will towards you? For my father?"

Ichigo nodded nervously, feeling the back of his neck and ears heat up with anticipation. "How'd you figure it out?"

Akira closed her eyes again as her temples began to throb in time with her heartbeat. She made sure that her pain didn't show. "You seem exponentially nervous, trying to ask me a simple question. Earlier you referred to my 'situation', which can be interpreted as the status of my life, which would include my mother and I. And since we held a group discussion last night, I inferred that you must have been talking about a topic you were uncomfortable with. The only one I could think of in which you seemed completely uncomfortable was when we touched on the subject of my father. That was my reasoning."

"Oh," was all Ichigo could say, his brow furrowed in confusion. He made a mental note to never ask Akira how she figured things out. He looked down at her, anxiously waiting for her response. Over the years, he had come to see her as part of his closet family and friends. She meant a lot to him, reminding him every day of the battle he held with the fourth espada. It was a battle that had no victor.

So hearing her say that she hated him would undoubtedly bring him back to those times, when he had questioned himself and his humanity. It was a time when he couldn't control his inner hollow, and was a threat to those he cared about. All that negativity would make him weak to fight against his hollow. Although it might've been easier to avoid this completely and not risk it, he had to know. He just had to know… did she think he was a monster?

Akira studied Mr. Kurosaki, trying to decipher his thoughts through his expressions. He and Kaien were ridiculously easy to read, one of the traits father and son shared. He seemed deep in thought, worrying about something. Was it her answer?

She contemplated that. Even though it was never spoken aloud, she knew Mr. Kurosaki played a part in her father's death. That much was obvious, based on his reactions. But, well… was it really his fault? Earlier that morning, Kaien had filled her in on some more details of the Winter War before their birth. Her father, as they were already told, was one of Aizen's top ten espada, the fourth. That meant he was on the enemy side. So, it would have been inevitable for Mr. Kurosaki to fight with her father, or another Shinigami for that matter. After all, according to Kaien, the whole reason they invaded Hueco Mundo was to rescue her mother, who was kidnapped by her father.

And even if her father hadn't been killed, would Soul Society still have allowed him to live?

_Do I have any ill will against Mr. Kurosaki, the man who may have killed my father?_ She glanced at him, seeing that he was beginning to fidget. In war, there are always casualties.

Ichigo stared deep into Akira's eyes and, for a moment, saw the same cold, calculating look of Ulquiorra flash in her gaze. Then it returned to normal as she regarded him with eyes empty of any emotion. It was no wonder why he sometimes felt uneasy around her, when in a second she could look exactly like the fourth espada.

Akira nodded to herself, resolute in her decision. Her gaze seemed to intensify, making Mr. Kurosaki gulp.

"You have nothing to worry about, Mr. Kurosaki," Akira announced indifferently, watching relief seep into his features. She didn't feel different.

"Thank you," he grinned. "Really, this was important for me."

The bell rang then, effectively bringing their conversation to a close as the teacher told everyone to get to their seats.

Ichigo waved to her. "See you later."

Akira nodded curtly, sliding into her chair and rigidly sitting up. What was to come next would be torture for the little hollow-girl.


	4. Did you feel that?

**Hello again, my lovely readers! You guys are awesome, you know that? **

**Unfortunately, I have some bad news: So, school is kicking my ass at the moment (my own fault for signing up for hard classes)… which means updates will be even **_**less**_** frequent. T.T**

**With that, I dedicate this chapter to kitsunelover300 and LittleSparkle. I'm really sorry guys; I swear I'll never make a promise I can't keep, ever again (how ironic, another promise)!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach, only Akira and Kaien. And the 'Mysterious Enemy'.**

* * *

A light sheen of sweat coated pale skin like silk, barely perceptible if one was looking. A skull throbbed ceaselessly and a stomach lurched violently, unable to evade the sharp clutches of nausea. Taut lips pressed together in an effort to keep scathing words and bile from escaping. Two fists clenched, resisting the urge to beat down someone's father.

"Hello, everyone! My name is Mr. Asano, and today I'll be telling you what Passenger Arrangement Staff do! It all started as a part-time job for me in high school…"

Steady breaths, in and out, in and out…

"… so if any passengers are trapped in the doors, it's our job to push them in!"

Keep calm. It wouldn't do to embarrass a full grown man in front of a room full of children and, not to mention, his own child.

"Now, some people call us 'Train Pushers,' but that isn't right. We also _pull_ people out when it's too late to board the train, or when the train is full!"

But it was oh-so tempting.

While this Asano character continued blathering on about the benefits of being paid to manhandle citizens, gesturing wildly with his hands to convey whatever message he was trying to deliver, a certain green-eyed girl watched with withering patience. Did the instructor specifically plan this day for _her_ torture? It wasn't enough that she didn't _have_ a father?

She closed her eyes, the last straws of her patience going up in cold flames. She wasn't sure how much longer she could sit there while utterly worthless men proudly announced their mediocre profession, if one could even call it that, listening silently like a good student should. Perhaps the only man who held a respectable occupation was Mr. Kurosaki (and _no_, she was not biased). Everyone else either over exaggerated the importance of what they did, or tried to make it seem less ridiculous.

She managed to tune out the brown-haired man, Mr. Asano, as he recounted a rather boring narrative. His voice was now an incoherent buzzing in her ear, like an annoying fly that simply refused to go away. But it was tolerable. Perhaps she could remain like this until the wretched day was over.

That is, until a certain nuisance poked her arm. "_Pst_."

Her emerald eyes snapped open in frustration, annoyed that her concentration had been broken. From the corner of her eye, she could see the orange-haired boy glancing nervously between her and the instructor, obviously hoping he wouldn't get caught. How foolish. He was making himself seem even more suspicious when trying to be inconspicuous. She continued to pointedly ignore him.

"_Psst._"

No, she wouldn't look.

"_Psst!_"

Damn him. Damn Kaien.

"_Pssst! Akira!_"

She whirled in her seat, sharply turning to face the bothersome boy. "What is it, _Kurosaki?_" She hissed quietly, her voice dripping with irritation. Never had she felt so bothered by Kaien, but it couldn't be helped. This was most likely the worst day she could ever remember experiencing: she had an inescapable ailment restricting her senses, she was forced to sit through Take Your Father to Work Day _without a father_, and she couldn't be left alone because of Kaien's inability to_ keep things to himself_.

She could feel her anger pulsing, flowing freely as it rose to a point it hadn't reached before. But beneath the clarity of irritation that spread throughout her mind, she felt something… laughing…

Kaien gulped, suddenly regretting his decision to grab Akira's attention. He didn't like the dark aura that had suddenly surrounded her. But she just looked so sickly, how could he not mention it? He'd never seen Akira even catch a cold before; so if she were to get sick, it'd have to be something serious.

Determined, he gathering his courage and stared at his friend straight in the eye. He'd never felt more uneasy. "Are you feeling alright? You don't look well."

Akira's misplaced anger dissipated almost instantly, the apprehension in Kaien's gaze tugging at strange, shadowed corners in her heart. What had happened? She frowned, trying to remember the reason she felt so very angry. Even _if_ Kaien annoyed her to no end, it wasn't reason to lash out on him. It wasn't his fault this day had turned out so horrid, even if he wasn't helping.

Her clenched fists tightened even more as an unfamiliar feeling washed over her. It was rare that she should feel guilty for anything or anyone, beside her mother, but she knew that her reaction was excessive and something Kaien didn't deserve. He'd only been concerned for her well-being.

So, she schooled her expression as best she could, her normal, indifferent mask returning to conceal her newfound guilt. "I'm fine." Akira felt she should say something more, but she refused to apologize. To apologize is a sign of weakness.

Kaien let out a relieved breath, glad to see that Akira was back to normal. Well, whatever "normal" was for her. But, if that's how she became when she was truly angry… Kaien shuddered once before returning to the problem at hand. "Are you sure?" he pressed, leaning toward her to study her more closely. "Maybe you should go to the nurse–"

"No," Akira replied swiftly, and a little too loudly.

"Miss Inoue!" They both stiffened in their seats at the reprimanding tone of their teacher, giggles and snickers erupting around the classroom. The brown-haired woman adjusted her glasses before wagging a red, manicured nail in disapproval. "No talking during the presentation."

Akira simply scoffed under her breath, opening her mouth to retort, but Kaien beat her to it.

"It was my fault, Miss Fuyuki!" Kaien blurted out, quickly standing to bow in apology. He continued in one breath, "Akira looked like she wasn't feeling well and I was trying to convince her to go to the nurse's office!"

"Oh?" The teacher's brow furrowed, her gaze flickering to Akira. "Is that so, Miss Inoue?"

Akira sighed, sending a half-hearted glare to Kaien. She could take care of herself; she didn't need Kaien's assistance. "Yes."

"If you're feeling ill, Miss Inoue, then you should have told me!" The teacher exclaimed, mildly irritated. "I won't have one of my students sitting here and suffering when they shouldn't be."

_How ironic_, Akira thought to herself.

"Well, do you feel sick or not, Miss Inoue?"

"No, Miss Fuyuki. I'm –"

She broke off mid-sentence, her eyes widening fractionally when she suddenly felt a heavy pressure assaulting her senses. It wasn't familiar, like the spiritual pressure of her mother, or Kaien, or even Mr. and Mrs. Kurosaki. It was dark and oppressing, like… like… There were no words to describe it; she'd never felt anything like this before. However, perhaps someone else had.

Her eyes swiftly moved to Mr. Kurosaki (even _he_ must have noticed it), who was staring at the screen of his cell phone. Not a second later he snapped it shut, glancing up to meet Akira's intense stare with the most serious expression she'd ever seen the man wear. The unvoiced question floated between them.

_Did you feel that?_

He nodded, a motion that went unnoticed by those who weren't aware of what was going on.

Akira's gaze returned to the teacher, who still seemed to be waiting for an answer, albeit impatiently. She knew it was a hollow, at best, and that Mr. Kurosaki would need an excuse to leave. She racked her brain for ideas; something that would have been simple, if it were a regular day. Unfortunately, today was not. Her headache had grown significantly since her outburst at Kaien, making any sort of thought process muddled with pounding aches. Added to that was her swirling nausea, which only served to make her feel as though she were about to throw up.

She'd only managed to come up with one idea in the space of a few seconds, which would utilize her "sickness" to their advantage. She saw no flaw in the plan, and it would be quite a valid excuse to leave the classroom. But…

She didn't like it. It would forever tarnish her reputation.

Akira silently reprimanded herself. Now was not the time to worry about such trivial matters. There were greater things at stake, if the oppressing spiritual pressure was anything to go by.

She took a deep breath…

* * *

Kaien knew something was up.

And it all started with Akira. First was her unusual reaction to his prodding, which was a problem within itself. As far as he could remember, ever since they were kids, Akira hadn't been an ordinary girl. It wasn't a bad thing, although she always refused to play with him. But she was his friend, maybe his only true friend, and had always been a part of his life. He'd grown accustomed to her weird quirks (you'd think she didn't have any, but you'd think wrong) and odd, complicated responses to simple questions.

So, of course, he knew something was off about her when she'd faced him. For her to show so much anger was _not_ normal. She never showed much of anything, really; he'd always complained (whined) about how unexpressive she was… But in that moment, he actually wished to see her regular, emotionless face. It was so much better than having to stare down an infuriated Akira. Actually, it was downright scary.

And _then _he thought he felt something heavy poking at his senses. He couldn't be sure if it was that spiritual-thingy his parents told him about, though. He'd only learned about this stuff yesterday.

But his suspicions were confirmed when Akira unexpectedly stopped talking, right around the moment he felt the... spiritual pressure, was it? Understanding her like he did, probably as well as her mother, he knew that Akira always thought things through, so it was unlikely that she had changed her mind about what she was going to say. Then, he caught the look between her and his father. What did _that_ mean? And – whoa! Was that a _blush_ on Akira's face?

However, his gleeful thoughts on this blackmail-worthy image was replaced with alarm when she, quite literally, fell to the floor.

"Akira!" he cried out in worry. He skipped over her desk and knelt down, taking in the shocking sight of a passed-out Akira. His hands hovered above her body, unsure of what to do. His thoughts were in a flurry, desperately trying to find a reason, any reason _why_... And could only come to one conclusion.

He felt the beginnings of true fear for his friend rising in his chest. _How bad is her illness?_

Above all the stunned and questioning voices of his classmates, Kaien could hear his father telling everyone to calm down. He looked up the orange-haired man, who was quickly approaching his fallen friend. "Dad, do you know what's wrong with Akira? Is she going to be alright?" He worked to keep the tremble from his voice.

His father nodded, but Kaien wasn't sure which question he was answering. He watched as his father gently picked up Akira, at the same time saying to the teacher, "I'll have to take her to my clinic, Miss Fuyuki. Please excuse Akira and Kaien from class."

Kaien jumped at his name, surprised that he was included. "W-What?" he asked, baffled, but followed his father anyway.

As they passed the teacher, Kaien could clearly see confusion etched on her expression as well. "Alright…" she murmured, figuring that Mr. Kurosaki knew what he was doing. He was a doctor, after all.

For the first few minutes, Kaien wordlessly followed his father out of school and onto the street, occasionally glancing at Akira in worry. It didn't matter that he was more confused than he'd ever been in his life, or that he'd basically ditched class with his father. Right now, the only thing on his mind was Akira's health as he kept up with the quick pace his father set. So, it was a little while until he realized that the direction they were taking was _away_ from the Kurosaki clinic.

_What's going on?_

"Dad," he frowned, panting slightly. His father had to have realized they were going in a different direction. It was obvious, actually, with the all the run-down warehouses they were beginning to pass. But if his father knew, then did that mean he wasn't going to the clinic on _purpose_? Kaien refused to believe it, shaking his head in denial. "Where are we going? This isn't the right way…"

His father didn't respond, his brow was furrowed in concentration. He seemed to be thinking about something really important, but Kaien, frankly, didn't care. They were going _further and further_ away from the clinic. Akira needed help _now_.

"Dad!"

That caught his father's attention. He was met with a surprised look.

"Dad, where are we going? Akira needs help!" Kaien scowled as best he could, but he doubted he looked as angry as he wanted while on the verge of tears.

His father's eyes widened slightly, before he turned away, firmly facing forward. "I'm dropping you off with a friend of mine."

"Is it that serious, Mr. Kurosaki?" A smooth, familiar voice asked. Kaien immediately glanced a little-ways down from his father's face, not believing his eyes as he did so. He gaped openly at his friend, who was wide-awake, in his father's arms.

"A-Akira!" Kaien exclaimed in shock as they turned a corner. "You're alright!"

"Of course I am, Kaien," Akira glowered indignantly. "Do you think me incapable of controlling my own consciousness?"

After filtering her sentence through the Akira-translator his brain had developed over the years, he realized that she was talking about her fainting spell. But, that would mean, that… she…

His incomplete thoughts followed in his speech as he pointed an accusing finger toward her. "You – in class… that…"

Even though she didn't, the look Akira gave him was equivalent to someone rolling their eyes. "It was an act."

"But why?" It was the only thing Kaien could think of to say. Why didn't they tell him this in the beginning? Akira could have given some sign that she was alright, so that he didn't have to worry about her. Was it too much to ask to be in the loop?

"Didn't you feel it?" Akira returned with a question of her own, as if it was the answer to everything.

A few seconds later, it was.

Everything slowly started to click into place, piecing itself together like a puzzle in his mind. If there was a hollow, then his father would have had to leave, in order to fight it. And the only reason Akira would fake a faint was to give him an excuse, right?

"Oh." Now, there was only one thing he wanted to confirm. He looked up at his father, hesitantly asking, "Is it that 'hollow' thing mom was talking about yesterday?"

The strangest look darkened his father's features. "No," his tone was layered with such severity that it made Kaien flinch. "It's worse than a hollow."

"What's worse than a hollow?"

"Arrancar, obviously," Akira replied. Something flickered across her expression, but it faded too quickly for Kaien to read. "However, all the Arrancars were executed by the Soul Society, were they not?" It wasn't hard to miss the sharp edge her voice took on.

"I don't know. That's the official report," his father replied honestly, his tone holding an air of finality. It was clear that it was all he was going to say about it. "We're here."

They slowed to a stop, his father set Akira down, and faced what looked to be a run-down candy store.

Kaien stared at it, wondering if this was some kind of joke. Sure, he liked sweets, but he didn't think he'd want to buy something out of that place.

But then, a man wearing a green-striped hat, equally green robes, and strange wooden shoes (_'Clogs?' _Kaien thought dubiously) emerged from the store, his expression grim. Kaien knew he'd seen this man somewhere before… as he was trying to figure it out, the man spoke.

"Go, you can leave your body here."

At the man's odd choice of words, Kaien turned to ask his dad what he meant –

– only to witness a clone of his father, wearing an old-fashioned black kimono, _literally_ jump out of his father's body. A second later, he watched as the "clone" suddenly disappeared.

And Kaien could only stare.

* * *

**Eh, I'm not sure what I think of this… I tried doing the second half of this chapter in Kaien's POV, and I think it turned out okay. Anyway, please tell me what you guys think! I worked so hard to get this chapter out **_**today**_**. Even though there's only a few minutes left until tomorrow.**


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